E. E. "Doc" Smith1890—1965

Edward Elmer Smith, also known as E.E. “Doc” Smith, was an early science fiction author who is sometimes referred to as the father of Space Opera. Smith’s novels are generally considered to be the classic space operas, and he is sometimes called the “first nova” of twentieth century science fiction. Smith expressed a preference for inventing fictional technologies that were not strictly impossible (so far as the science of the day was aware) but highly unlikely: “the more unlikely the better” was his phrase. (source: Wikipedia)